Local News at WRFI?

Have you ever asked yourself, “Hey, whatever happened to WRFI’s daily news coverage?”

Well, we miss it too, and we’re working to bring back more local news coverage as soon as possible. 

Here’s some background. WRFI has always operated on a shoestring budget. Unfortunately we had to pause our daily local news headline service several months ago when we lost our News Director. However we remain as committed as ever to covering local issues, the arts, and airing local and underrepresented voices.

Here are a few recent and ongoing projects that highlight efforts by staff and volunteers.

Living With Grief explores the ways people navigate the journey of losing a loved one. Produced by JT Stone.

The Undiscovered Country: Voices Over the Wall highlights the work of poets behind bars. Recently exonerated poet Michael Rhynes sheds light on the invisibility and disenfranchisement of prison populations.” This project is supported by a grant from Humanities New York.

Alcance Latino, hosted by Carlos Gutierrez, is the Ithaca area’s only Spanish-language program. It features live news, conversations, and music for the Spanish-speaking community, with a focus on social justice and farmworker issues.

We also host a range of interviews with visiting artists and newsmakers. Check out our interview with legendary food writer Ruth Reichl, author Jonathan Lethem, and punk legend Chandra Oppenheim.

Even when we’ve had part time news staff, working with students and volunteers, and collaborating with other nonprofit news outlets has been key to our success. As we begin 2025, we’ll be launching new projects with community journalists to cover local issues. Stay tuned and keep ears open.